


Bliss

by lotorotor



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Aliens, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, But it’s towards aliens so, Good Lotor (Voltron), Hurt/Comfort, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Mild Racism, Tags May Change, alien refugees on earth basically lol, but lance is toxic, how I characterized lance isn’t how I actually feel about him, very thin references to how I feel about politics that are for setting not for plot, wait wait no racism is mild, well a bit of plot but not a lot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-04
Updated: 2019-06-20
Packaged: 2019-08-18 17:20:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16521365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lotorotor/pseuds/lotorotor
Summary: “That’s nice, being able to find someone so early in life. Not everyone is lucky to find that happiness.”“Yeah,” said Keith, with more than a note of bitterness, “Yeah, I’m lucky. I’m happy.”Keith has a perfect life, he does. At least, that’s what he keeps telling himself.Sometimes a new friend changes everything.





	1. Perfect

On paper, Keith’s life was perfect. He was living in a cozy apartment that was only a 5 minute walk away from the cafe he worked at, and he was financially stable. More than that, he was living with his boyfriend of 4 years, Lance. They were high school sweethearts and had moved in together immediately after graduation, and the more that time passed, the more that things looked wonderful.

_Looked_ wonderful.

* * *

It was a sunny Tuesday afternoon, and Keith was in the middle of a shift at the cafe. Take someone’s order, make them their drink, serve it to them. It didn’t take a lot of thinking, but it kept him busy, and really, Keith couldn’t ask for much else from a day job. 

The bell above the door jingled, signaling the arrival of a new customer. Keith glanced up at the old man, who was talking loudly and animatedly to his companion, a much younger, though probably middle aged, man.

“I’m tired of all these goddamn aliens all over the place!” He complained. Keith sighed. This guy seemed like he was going to be a fun customer.

His companion snorted. “Do you mean normal run of the mill immigrants, or the literal aliens we’ve started harboring?”

“You know I meant the extra terrestrials.” The man grouched. “They have no business being here. They’re crowding us out and taking our resources!”

“Oh boy.” Keith’s coworker, Acxa, sighed. Her blue skin, pointed ears, and stubby horns marked her as one of the aliens the man complained about. One of the people that had started seeking refuge on earth when the Galra Empire had chased them out of every other corner of the universe.

“I’ll take this one.” He muttered to her. No way was he letting this guy harass his coworker. He stepped behind the corner and tried to muster an award winning smile, though he suspected he may have looked more deranged than anything. Customer service had never been his forte. “Hello! What can I get for you, sir?”

The old man eyed Keith, clearly unimpressed. “Small espresso. One shot of cream.”

Keith barely restrained himself from rolling his eyes at the man’s rude tone. “Coming right up.”

Acxa poured the drink, but Keith took it from her hands and handed it to the man. Unfortunately, that didn’t stop the man from seeing that something less than human had touched his precious drink, and he sneered.

“I said a shot of cream, not slime.” He said. Keith’s hands curled into fists at his side.

“That’s unnecessary, sir.” He growled. Maybe his boss, Coran, would forgive him if he punched a customer. Maybe. Probably not.

The old man smiled condescendingly. “I just hope I survive this coffee.”

He turned and left with the younger man before Keith could leap across the counter like he so desperately wanted to. He hoped that he never came back.

“Man.” Acxa said, “maybe being a barista isn’t the job for you.”

Keith turned and raised an eyebrow at her. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

She nudged him, teasingly. “You’re kind of aggressive sometimes. You’re gonna scare of the customers.”

“Some of them should be scared off.” He retorted.

Acxa only laughed at him. And as Keith watched her, he remembered again why he hated people like that old man so much.

He supposed he should be happy that the majority of people had voted yes to welcoming the extra terrestrial refugees onto the planet, and into the country. And he _was_. But it was bittersweet, because of people like that old man, and because it was painfully obvious that the government had made the move not out of the goodness of their nonexistent hearts, but because they were receiving resources and technology in exchange. Technology that should be used for good, but would undoubtedly instead lead to weapons that would rival the nuclear bomb and humans making a foray into space in the worst way possible.

But that was politics. Keith didn’t have time to worry about that right now. No, it was time to clock off and head home, where he’d either find Lance or wait for him.

The walk home was short, the setting sun bathing the town in gold. Keith barely appreciated the beauty that was this time of day, a knot of anxiety worming it’s way into his chest as he traipsed up the steps to his apartment. 202, second floor, lovely view, and not that difficult to find. He opened the door, dropping his keys onto the hook next to the light switch that was already on. Turning, he found his boyfriend, Lance, lounging on the couch, beer in hand.

“Hey, babe.” Keith greeted him with a smile. He sank onto the couch next to him, the movement jostling Lance, who shifted in his seat.

“Welcome back.” Lance leaned over and kissed his cheek. His breath smelled like alcohol. “We got a new neighbor.”

“Oh?” Keith’s curiosity piqued. People moved in and out of the apartments on a consistent basis, so this mysterious move in must have been something else to grab Lance’s attention.

“Yep.” He popped his lips on the P. “Right next door. 203. One of the governments wards.”

Ah. “What’re they like?”

Lance dramatically rolled his eyes. “So far? Annoying. He’s got this posh accent and better-than-thou attitude. I’ve got a feeling he’s gonna be a real buzzkill.”

“Huh.”

They were silent for a moment, with Keith unable to come up with much for conversation. Lance finished his drink and lobbed it across the room, aiming for the trash. The can smacked against the wall before tumbling to the floor.

“Lance, c’mon.” Keith chided him. “Pick it up, please?”

Lance groaned. “But the point of throwing it was so I wouldn’t have to get up.”

“Lance...”

“I’ll do it later. Promise.”

Keith sighed. Whatever. “Do you want to do something together?”

“Eh.” Lance grunted. “I’m tired.”

Another sigh. So it was going to be a night like this. They seemed to make up a majority of their nights these days.

“Ok,” said Keith, “I’m gonna go meet the new neighbor.”

“Um, why?” 

He shrugged. “Gotta meet him eventually, anyway.” He didn’t say what he was really thinking. That maybe this ‘annoying’ neighbor would be better company than a tired Lance.

He left, making sure the door was closed, before making the short trip to apartment 203. It was, like, 4 steps away. He knocked on the door, which opened almost immediately to reveal the most beautiful man he’d ever seen.

Tall, thin, but still with visible muscles, he towered over Keith by a good foot at least. His skin was lavender and reminded Keith of the bushes that bloomed in the park during the spring. Long, silver-white hair cascaded down his back, two pointed ears sticking out of the snowy strands. His clothes were simple a nondescript, just a grey t shirt and dark jeans.

“Hello?” He did, indeed, have an accent, but ‘posh’ was not the word Keith would use to describe it. Sophisticated, maybe. Musical, absolutely.

“Uh, hi.” Keith gave a tiny a wave. “I’m Keith, your next door neighbor. Welcome to the neighborhood?”

“Lovely to meet you, Keith.” A slow smile settled on the man’s purple lips. “My name’s Lotor. Would you like to come in?”

“Sure.” He agreed before hesitating slightly. Maybe he should go back home and not enter a stranger’s apartment.

Or maybe he should make some new friends. He needed a bigger social circle than his boyfriend and his coworkers, after all.

The space was simple, yet tastefully decorated. Blues and silvers were heavily favored, though the occasional splash of orange added a nice contrast. Compared to his and Lance’s apartment that was filled with mismatched furniture form various thrift stores and posters plastering the walls, it was kind of nice.

Soft music was drifting from a nearby stereo system. Keith didn’t recognize the band, but it sounded pretty indie. He decided that he liked it.

“Please, make yourself at home.” Lotor invited. “Would you like anything to drink? Wine? Coffee? Juice?”

“Uh, I’m okay.” Keith replied as he gingerly sat on the black leather sofa.

Lotor sank into the matching loveseat, crossing one long leg over the other. “So, you’re my neighbor?”

“Mhmm,” Keith nodded, “I live in 202 with my boyfriend.”

“Ah,” his golden eyes tightened a fraction, “have you two been together long?”

“Since high school.” He confirmed.

Lotor cocked his head in confusion. “High school...?”

“Oh, you don’t know what that is, do you?” Keith realized. He was an alien. Of course he wouldn’t know these things. “It’s, uh, part of the education system for our youth. Anyway, yeah, Lance and I have been together for a while now.”

The alien nodded. “That’s nice, being able to find someone so early in life. Not everyone is lucky to find that happiness.”

“Yeah,” said Keith, with more than a note of bitterness, “Yeah, I’m lucky. I’m happy.”

One elegant eyebrow arched. “Are you not?”

Keith shook his head once, trying to control himself. “I’m great. Lance is everything I wanted. He’s perfect for me. That was obvious from the beginning. I have nothing to complain about because my life is perfect.” He wasn’t sure who he was trying to convince more.

“Hm.” Lotor eyed him, and Keith was uncomfortable with the scrutiny.

He leaped to his feet. “Speaking of my boyfriend, I should get back to him. Make sure he eats, kiss him good night.”

“Alright.” Lotor rose and walked him to the door. “I wouldn’t want to keep you from your perfect life. But, Keith, you can come back any time. You’re welcome here.”

The human hesitated with one hand on the doorknob. “Thanks, Lotor. See you around.” And with that, he opened the door and tried not to run the short distance home.

As soon as he was in his own apartment, Keith both regretted leaving so soon and not leaving earlier. Lance was still on the couch, but his shoulders were tense. Unhappy.

“You were a while.” He remarked in an even voice.

“Uh, yeah. We started talking.” Keith shrugged.

Lance grunted. “I really don’t like him that much.”

“Do you even know him?”

“Do you?”

Keith sighed. “I thought you were going to bed.”

But Lance was rising from the couch and slowly walking over to his boyfriend. “Nah, I changed my mind. I don’t want to sleep. I want you.” But his eyes didn’t say bedroom. They were upset, tense.

“Lance... maybe not tonight.” Keith backed up a step, his back hitting the door.

But then Lance was leaning into him, his lips on his ear, and he whispered the word “ _Please_.” And Keith found himself unable to resist when Lance started nibbling on his earlobe.

This wasn’t bad. This was good. This was proof that Keith’s life was perfect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got salty about all the fics where Lotor is abusive and Keith ends up with Lance so, uh, I flipped it on its head. Sorry. I love Lance a lot I swear..
> 
> And if you don’t like what I did with Lance, don’t tell me, bc I already know. 
> 
> ANYWAY!~ hope you enjoyed!
> 
> Find me on other sites:
> 
> tumblr: @glitch-h  
> insta: @caramelmacchiatoart  
> twitter: @lotorotor


	2. Lonely

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith’s day doesn’t have the best start, but things do start looking up

Keith awoke to sunlight pouring through the bedroom window and a familiar sense of loneliness. His hands searched the bed for a source of warmth, only to come up empty. He sat up and looked around, brushing again at the empty mattress. Lance was nowhere to be found.

He was probably on his way to work. Keith sighed. Another morning spent alone. It was fine that Lance didn’t bother saying good morning anymore. He probably just didn’t want to wake up Keith too early. He should be grateful that his boyfriend was so considerate. 

Glancing at the clock, he saw that he had plenty of time to get ready for work. Enough that he could justify laying in bed for a few more minutes, but his fingers grazed the cold sheets once more and he felt a knot in his chest. Pushing it aside, he rolled off the mattress and stretched his arms above his head, popping his joints. Felt good.

A warm shower chased away the remaining chill in his bones and he took his time to lather himself. His soap smelled like pomegranates, a scent that Lance had once said was his favorite. He sighed as he watched the suds rinse down the drain. Today was going to be long, he could feel it.

Once he was toweled dry and dressed, he checked the time again. Still too early to leave the house unless he wanted to be obscenely early to work. Groaning, he sank onto the couch. Might as well let the minutes tick by.

Glancing around the room, he noticed a glint by the trash. A beer can. The one Lance had chucked at the wall and apparently failed to pick up. Keith groaned again, annoyed, before dragging himself up and picking the can up. Glaring at it as if it had personally wronged him, he lobbed it into the garbage bin.

Alright. He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes, memories of the previous night along with countless nights before swimming through his mind. The hot and cold flashes of Lance’s moods, the way he felt so distant unless he was pushing Keith’s body against the wall or into the mattress with that predatory glint in his eye. The mornings after when Lance would disappear, leaving Keith to wonder why.

“No.” Keith growled to himself. “Lance is the perfect boyfriend. We balance each other out and he cares about me.”

And he remembered the beginning, how warm Lance had been. How they’d stayed up talking til 3 am and Lance had never seemed bored of him. How jealous all of their friends had been of their relationship.

They were perfect. They were. But Lance’s absence echoed in Keith’s chest, and he slumped from where he was against the wall.

The empty rooms of the apartment seemed to shrink in on Keith. He took a deep breath to steady himself, but everything was weighing down on him, as if the very atmosphere was shrinking. Not good, not good. He had to get out of there, at least to see the sky and breathe in fresh air. Well, as fresh as you could get in the city. He stumbled to the door, barely managing to mentally step back and take a moment to make sure he had everything, and escaped the claustrophobic rooms.

Who should he see leaving his own home at the same moment but his new neighbour, Lotor.

“Oh, hello, Keith,” he greeted him pleasantly, “how are you this morning?”

“Hey, Lotor,” Keith cleared his throat, struggling to sound more okay than he felt. “I’m, uh, pretty good. You?”

“Mm, I’m fine. Anticipating my first day of work on Earth.” He chuckled and Keith smiled at the sound, his earlier anxiety fading slowly.

“Where’s that, then?” 

“A place called Sue’s Flowers. It sounds charming.”

“Oh!” Keith felt himself perk up as he recognized the name. “They’re right next to the cafe I work at!”

“Really?” Lotor smiled, exposing his sharp teeth. “What a happy coincidence.”

“I’ll say.” Keith agreed. “We can go together.”

“Certainly reduces my chances of getting hopelessly lost.”

Keith laughed and he felt miraculously relaxed for the first time in a while. “Shall we?” 

They walked together out of the apartment building and down the busy street, the sun shining down from a blue sky.

And they talked, the conversation mostly casual. Got to know each other on the superficial level that new friends have. Keith found himself laughing more than he had in months.

More than that, he found that he really genuinely liked Lotor. He was warm, sincere, but with a sharp tongue and quick humor that almost never failed to draw at least a snort from Keith. What used to be a lonely walk that left far too much time for thinking had become an enjoyable time spent with a friend.

And then they made it to their respective destinations. Keith turned to say goodbye, but paused when he saw Lotor’s sheepish expression.

“Well, I kind of left my place with time to spare in case I got lost, so I’m much too early for my shift.” He said with a small smile.

Keith let out a small chuckle. “I’m actually super early, too. Didn’t wanna stay cooped up I guess.” No need to mention he’d had a bit of a panic attack. He was fine, after all.

Lotor’s grin widened. “In that case, could I treat you to breakfast?”

“Sure, why not?” He’d enjoyed the company so far, and he really did need to socialize with someone other than Acxa.

Keith ended up choosing a nearby diner, since Lotor was still rather new and easily lost. He informed him that on his home planet, while they did have city-like areas, the layout was not nearly as confusing as Earth.

“What are they like, then?” Keith asked over his plate of eggs and bacon, seated in a booth across from his new friend.

Lotor, who had gotten the same thing as Keith, seeing as he wasn’t exactly familiar with human cuisine, hummed thoughtfully. “First of all, there’s not nearly so many buildings. Rather, there’s several large buildings each with a different function. One for eating establishments, one for shopping, whatever you might need. It’s simple to find your way around. Plus the streets are wide rather than these narrow things.” He continued to speak, describing the blues and purples the galra tended to use, the curved architecture, and pinkish hue of the sky. Keith listened with rapt attention, enjoying the way Lotor’s voice wrapped around the words, painting pictures in his mind of an alien world.

It wasn’t until his eyes wandered to a nearby clock that he realized how entranced he’d been.

“I’m gonna be late!” He exclaimed, leaping to his feet, interrupting his companion. “Ah, sorry, Lotor.”

“It’s okay, in fact, I should be thanking you. I hadn’t realized so much time had passed.” He rose much more gracefully than Keith had. “I’m only sorry I won’t be able to finish my meal...”

“Oh, don’t worry. I’ll ask the waiter for a box and you can take it with you.” Keith flagged down the nearest employee.

“Huh. Thank you.”

Boxed food in hand, they hurried back to their places of employment. Keith turned once more, a bit reluctantly. “Hey, when do you get off?”

“My shift ends at 5.” Lotor replied.

“Stop by the café if you want. I’m off half an hour after you and we can walk home together.” 

The alien smiled, his sharp teeth flashing in the sunlight. “I’d love to.”

* * *

The day passed uneventfully, and Keith was glad to see it end. He was even more happy when Lotor did indeed arrive just before he clocked off. What he didn’t expect was the way Acxa’s eyes widened in recognition and shock.

“Lotor?!” She gasped.

“You know him?” Keith said with surprise of his own.

“Acxa?” Lotor’s face was unreadable, though his ears twitched minutely. “I never thought I’d see you again.”

“Back at you.”

Keith looked between them, bewildered. There was a certain tension in the air he didn’t understand. “How do you guys know each other?”

“We were friends... before.” Acxa said with an uncomfortable edge.

A sigh brought Keith’s attention back to Lotor, who’s face had melted into remorse and sadness. “I’m truly sorry for what happened. I’m not asking you to forgive me, but please. That was before I knew.”

Acxa shook her head once, twice. “Let’s not talk about it. Are you going to order coffee?”

“Actually, I’m here to walk with Keith.”

“Oh? Okay. Um, go ahead and sit, then.” She turned and grabbed Keith’s arm, leaning in to whisper urgently in his ear. “I don’t know how you met or what he’s told you, but you shouldn’t trust Lotor. I’ll explain tomorrow.”

“Acxa, we’re just neighbors who work near each other so we walk together. It’s not a big deal.” He shrugged out of her grasp. 

Her mouth twisted unhappily. “Okay. Be careful, Keith.”

He sighed. “I’m gonna clock off. See you.” 

Keith also grabbed two muffins, handing one to Lotor as they left. “It’s blueberry.”

Lotor fiddled with the pastry, his golden eyes tight. “Keith, Acxa and I have a rather... rocky history. She has very good reason to be unhappy with me, and I’d like to assure you that you have no reason to mistrust me, though you may after hearing what she has to say.”

“It’s okay, Lotor. I don’t like letting other people decide how I feel about someone, anyway.”

“Please, allow me a moment to explain.” He held up a pleading hand. “My father is the reason so many people are seeking refuge. He’s a rather... tyrannical leader and I am less than proud to claim relation to him. Unfortunately, I did not see his evil in the beginning and performed some rather shameful actions. My friends, including Acxa, suffered because of me. I regret that more than anything. But I don’t... I’m not...” he paused for breath, “I turned traitor and worked against him, for quite a long time, actually. Then my luck ran out and, well, here I am.”

Keith was silent for a moment as he searched for the words he wanted. “That’s the past. So far, I like being your friend, and I’d continue no matter who you used to be. Unless you used to be an axe murderer or something.”

Lotor snorted, and somehow, even that managed to be elegant. “Thank you. I assure you, I’ve never murdered anyone, axe or otherwise.”

“I believe you.”

And then Lotor smiled and Keith thought that he was lucky that they had ended up neighbors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a bit of a fixation with Lotor’s teeth and it’s only going to get worse from here
> 
> some chapters are going to have music recs to go with them. This is not one of them.
> 
> But go listen to Lemonade by Nicole Dollanganger bc it’s a bop
> 
> Find me on other sites
> 
> Tumblr: @glitch-h  
> Twitter: @lotorotor  
> Insta: @caramelmacchiatoart  
> Snapchat: LOL u can ask for it on tumblr or smthn  
> Location: u thot bich


	3. Trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Date night! Maybe....

The apartment was still empty when Keith got home, Lance’s absence echoing off the walls. Keith sighed as he put his things away and slipped out of his shoes, the morning’s loneliness settling over him like an unwelcome weight. He really did hate it when Lance left for long stretches of time, making him wonder if he’d done something wrong. 

It didn’t help that the last time he’d seen Lance was also when he’d been pinned to a mattress. He felt like that was the only time they were close these days, and even then it was only physical closeness. They never talked anymore. Keith didn’t know  _ why _ and it was supremely frustrating. How could he fix things if he didn’t know what was wrong?

At the moment, there was nothing he could do but wait, so he sank down onto the couch with a sigh and began to channel surf. Nothing the television had to offer caught his interest, but that was no surprise. It had been a while since he’d actually enjoyed watching something on tv, yet he couldn’t think of anything else to do.

Well, there was  _ one _ thing that interested him, but it was also out of the question.

Lotor was just one door down and he’d had more fun talking to him than doing anything else lately. His mind felt caught on the front door as if it was tugging him in the direction of his new friend, but he resisted. He’d just seen Lotor, after all, seeing as they’d walked home together. He did not want to be a nuisance.

Besides, Lance could be home any minute.

He turned the channel to some movie with lots of explosions and tried not to think.

How successfully he was at not thinking didn’t end up mattering as Keith soon heard the telltale sound of a key in the lock. Lance. Finally.

“Ugh, work was killer.” Lance complained as soon as he was across the threshold. “Remind me why I keep going back?”

“To pay rent.” Keith replied with a small smile. “Welcome home, baby.”

His boyfriend groaned and flopped onto the couch next to him, and Keith was painfully aware of the inches of space between them. His mind wistfully flashed through a handful of memories of Lance cuddling him every chance he got and wondered why that had stopped.

Not that it mattered. As long as Lance was happy, Keith was happy.

“What’s this?” The man was squinting at the tv as though it had personally offended him. “The guy in the sunglasses is kind of hot in a douchey way.”

Keith shrugged. “Dunno. Just some movie.”

Now Lance was looking at Keith as though he’d grown a second head. “You don’t even know what you’re watching?”

Another shrug, this time accompanied with a sigh. “I didn’t care what was on, okay?” 

“Whatever. I’m going to bed.” Lance shoved himself up and stretched with another loud groan. 

“I’ll join you later.” 

He only got a shrug in response, and Keith frowned. Left alone that morning, and then five minutes of company before being left alone again? What was the deal?

Maybe Lance had just had a horrible work day and it was affecting his mood. Poor guy probably needed rest anyway. 

Keith’s mind wandered back to the missing cuddles. Lance could rest and still keep him company, but apparently he just wanted to be alone. That was fine. No need to be clingy.

Another explosion burst across the television screen. Keith wasn’t quite sure what had blown up this time.

* * *

Keith woke to the sound of someone moving around room. Blinking the sleep away, he realized he was still curled up on the couch, with some infomercial blazing on the tv. He sat up and stretched, only to see Lance in the kitchen shuffling through the fridge.

“Morning babe.” Keith yawned.

Lance turned, milk jug in hand. “Morning to you too. How come you didn’t come to bed last night?” He pouted, his lower lip sticking out like a child.

“Guess I fell asleep out here.”

“I missed you,” his boyfriend whined as he set his milk on the counter and crossed the room to drape his arms around Keith’s shoulders.

“Sorry.” Their lips met in a brief kiss before Lance was straightening and going back to what he was doing before.

He took a swig of milk straight from the carton. “I’ll see you after work, baby. I wanna spend more quality time with you. Feel like we haven’t done that much lately.”

“Can we have a movie night and cuddle like we used to? We haven’t done that in too long.” Keith asked, a bubble of hope in his chest. 

Lance smiled. “Of course we can, baby boy. You can pick the movie and everything.” He checked his watch and a curse slipped from his tongue. “I really gotta go, though.”

And he was gone.

For the first time in a while, Keith felt like he’d had a good morning. 

He took his time getting ready for work, even pausing to attempt to straighten his hair, though he gave up as per usual. It was an unruly mess, but he didn’t mind that. Lance had often told him that he put the hot in hot mess and he smiled at his reflection at the memory.

Eventually, Keith was ready and in a better mood than he had been in months. And then, just as he was thinking he’d better head out the door, the doorbell rang.

Upon answering, Keith found his new friend Lotor standing at his porch. A wide smile lit up his face; this morning just kept getting better. And Lotor was smiling too, and it really did look lovely on his chiseled face. 

“Good morning!” 

“It is a good morning, isn’t it?” Lotor replied, still grinning. “I was wondering if you’d like to walk to work again?”

“Sure!” Keith readily agreed. “Since our shifts line up so nicely, we might as well make it routine.” 

“Indeed.” 

Everything was wonderful. The sun was shining, the walk was pleasant, and Keith was enjoying socializing with Lotor. Nothing could ruin his mood.

Well, nothing except a several hour long shift dealing with customers. They were rude, several of them made terrible comments about Acxa, and Keith was again struggling to restrain himself from launching across the counter to beat the up. Unfortunately, right hooks were generally not considered to be “good customer service” so he controlled himself… barely.

Then, during a lull in activity, Acxa decided it was time to warn Keith about Lotor.

“He draws you in with that silver tongue of his, and then he betrays you. I don’t want to see him hurt another one of my friends, so please trust me when I say he’s a manipulator. He’s dangerous.”

Keith sighed. “Acxa, I hear what you’re saying, but if he really was working with his father, I doubt he’d be on earth as an alien refugee.”

Acxa’s mouth tightened unhappily. “I don’t know what his plan is, but he must have ulterior motives.”

“Maybe he just wants to start a new life, same as everyone else.”

“You can’t trust him.”

“Oh my god!” Keith threw up his hands in frustration. “I just walk to work with the guy! It’s not like we’re all that attached to each other! We’re barely friends so you really don’t have to worry.”

“Keith…” Acxa reached for him, but he stepped away. 

“Anyway, he’s my neighbor. I don’t want to be rude and I don’t like being told who I can talk to.” He said firmly in the hopes of ending the conversation.

“I’m just worried, that’s all.”

“Don’t be.” He glanced at the clock. “My shifts over, anyway, so I’m out. See you tomorrow.”

“Bye, Keith.” Her eyebrows pinched together, a sign that she really was worried. If she were anyone else, Keith would have told her to fuck off in a much less polite way.

Keith had been working at the café for quite a while now, which meant that he knew the layout like it was his own home. Which meant that he wasn’t paying attention to where he was going as he left, and caught the toe of his black boot on the threshold, causing him to pitch forward in a most graceless manner. Expecting to crash his face into concrete, he let out a surprised “oh!” as he instead landed face first into someone’s broad chest.

Someone’s hands instinctively caught him by the waist before wrapping around his elbows and gently lifting him to his feet. Keith peeked through the fringe of his dark hair at his savior and was exceptionally embarrassed to find that it was none other than Lotor, purple forehead creased with concern.

“Are you alright, Keith?”

The sound of his name wrapped in that velvety voice should not have sounded as nice as it did.

“‘Mfine…” he mumbled, looking away, face burning with chagrine.

“Please watch where you’re going. I’m not inclined to losing my only friend on this planet.” Lotor reached as if to brush Keith’s hair out of his face before dropping his hand to his side as though thinking better of it.

“Thanks for catching me… call that a trust fall.” Keith attempted to joke to stave off the lingering embarrassment.

“Trust fall?” Lotor tilted his head in confusion, and Keith absolutely did not find that endearing. Definitely not at all.

“Ah, that’s a human thing, I guess. To prove you trust someone, you turn your back and fall in hopes that they’ll catch you.” He laughed once, a bit nervously. “Looks like this means I can trust you.”

Lotor smiled gently. “I’m glad to have passed the test.”

Even though his mood had been soured by work, the walk home was just as pleasant as that morning. Keith had a feeling it had to do with the company and that… that was a nice feeling. He honestly couldn’t remember the last time he’d spent time with a friend other than Acxa, and she didn’t really count since they only ever saw each other at work. But Lotor was here now, and Keith was grateful for his presence. As selfish as it may be, he was grateful for whatever space bullshit had brought their paths together.

“You know,” Lotor began saying, snapping Keith from his thoughts, “I’ve been wanting to break in my new kitchen but preparing food isn’t nearly as satisfying all alone. Would you and your boyfriend like to come over tomorrow for dinner?”

A warm feeling rushed over Keith’s body like a wave. “I’d love to. Tomorrow sounds great. I’m sure Lance wouldn’t say no to a free meal!” 

“Wonderful.”

They smiled at each other. It seemed that most of their interactions involved a lot of smiling; it was a wonder that Keith’s cheeks didn’t hurt. 

* * *

 

As soon as he got home, Keith hopped into the shower. Excitement bubbled in his chest once again as he remembered Lances promise at a date night. He turned the water on scalding, scrubbing away the scent of coffee and sweat. 

Skin pink and damp, he towel dried his mop of hair and slipped into a tank top and baggy sweats. 

Lance was lounging on the couch, an annoyed expression on his face, when Keith emerged from the bedroom. 

“What’s with hogging the bathroom?” He grumbled.

“Sorry.” Keith shrugged as he sat down next to his boyfriend. 

“Whatever. I’m going to bed.” Lance rose and Keith frowned.

“But what about movie night? You promised.”

Lance looked at him like he’d started spouting German. “When the hell did I say that?”

“This morning? Before work.” Even as he spoke, his heart pinched in disappointment. He knew it was fruitless to argue when Lance was like, well, this. Like he always was these days.

“I don’t remember. Didn’t happen.”

Lance shuffled out of the room and Keith was alone again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is brought to you by I ran head first into the gate leaving work and I desperately wished that I’d had a Lotor to catch me ;-; and preferably kiss my forehead better... ah well Keith doesn’t get that either yet 
> 
> Find me on other sites:
> 
> Tumblr: @glitch-h  
> Twitter: @lotorotor   
> Insta: @caramelmacchiatoart


	4. Use Him and Lose Him

He was alone again, but it was okay.

So Lance had changed his mind. He was just tired. A good boyfriend would let him rest, and Keith was a good boyfriend. So he would find something to watch on his own, something that Lance didn't even like, since he clearly wasn't joining him.

For the second night in a row, Keith fell asleep on the couch, arms wrapped around his chest as if desperately trying to hold on to something that wasn't there.

* * *

A sharp knock on the door jerked Keith from dreamless slumber. Groggily, he squinted at the clock, willing the numbers to come into focus.

“Keith?” A familiar, worried voice called through the door. “Are you okay?”

The time jumped into clarity and Keith leaped to his feet as panic flooded his body. He was late, and Lotor had clearly decided to check on him rather than go to his own job on time.

“Stupid alien.” He muttered to himself as he threw on some semblance of an outfit and sprayed himself with stolen cologne from Lance. “Now he's going to be late, too, because of me.”

Another knock on the door was followed by Lotor calling for him again. With a deep breath to try and calm himself, he yanked open the door, the apology on his tongue frozen as he caught sight of the man in front of him. His long white hair was pulled back in a French braid, his clothes were pressed, and he looked well put together, the stark opposite how chaotic Keith felt in that moment. His lips stretched into an involuntary smile as he locked his apartment, amused at what a mismatched pair they were. 

“Keith, are you okay? You're not ill are you?” Lotor still sounded concerned, his purple hand lightly touching Keith's shoulder.

“Sorry, I, uh, overslept. Guess I didn't hear my alarm. Thanks for waking me up, but you could have just gone ahead.”

Lotor shook his head. “I'd have been distracted if I didn't know if you were okay. You're my neighbor and only friend, after all.”

Looking away, Keith shrugged one shoulder. “Well. Thanks. Let's go.”

The sun was hiding behind a thin blanket of grey clouds, though the air was still warm. They walked in companionable silence for a bit before Lotor spoke again. “Did your boyfriend say anything about dinner tonight? I invited my coworkers as well so it should be good company.”

“I didn't get a chance to ask him last night, but Lance doesn't turn down free food as a rule, so I'm sure we'll be on your doorstep tonight.”

“Too busy having fun on your date, hm?” Lotor said teasingly. Keith chewed on his lip, shoulders hunching slightly.

“Ah, he went to bed early. We didn't… he was tired, so…” he kept his eyes downcast as he worried his bottom lip with his teeth. 

Lotor placed his hand on his shoulder and gave a comforting squeeze. “Does he do this often?”

“He's just tired, his job is really hard. I let him sleep, it's fine.” 

“It doesn't seem fine…”

Keith shrugged out from under his touch. “Well, it's really not your business, is it?” He snapped.

“I'm sorry for overstepping.” Lotor said, raising his hands in surrender. “I do care about you, Keith.”

The man was silent, looking down with an unhappy expression on his face. Where did Lotor get off, talking about caring about him? He didn’t get to care about him. No one cared about him.

Except Lance.

It didn’t always feel like it, but he knew Lance cared. He had to. He was his boyfriend. He wouldn’t date him if he didn’t care, right?

After a few minutes of walking in silence, Keith let out a breath. “Sorry for snapping.”

“It’s okay, Keith. I just hope that you are happy.”

“I am happy. My life is perfect, after all.”

* * *

“Shit!”

Keith was in the back of the cafe trying to put the new shipment of pastries and coffee grounds away, and he had just stubbed his toe for the fifth time.

“You okay?” Acxa called from the front, concerned.

“I’m fine!” He growled. Today was not his day, that much was clear. It felt like the universe was out to get him… or at least get his big toe. “Remind me to wear steel toed boots to work.”

After several minutes of Keith continuing to place parcels in their designated spots, Acxa sighed loudly enough for him to hear it. 

“Keith!” She called, a note of exasperation in her voice. “You’ve got a visitor.”

“Huh?” Curious, he ducked into the front of the store, and realized that there really was only one person who would visit him at work. He wasn’t quite sure why he was surprised. “Hi, Lotor.”

“Hello, Keith.” Lotor’s purple mouth spread into an easy smile. “You know, there’s something about this cafe that I find quite charming.”

“Oh, Coran’s worked hard on the, um, atmosphere.” Keith said, and Acxa groaned quietly beside him, though he wasn’t sure why. She gave his shoulder a pat before grabbing a rag and beginning to wipe down the coffee machines, keeping her gaze carefully averted.

“You’ll have to thank him for me, then.” Lotor smiled gently, but there was something shimmering in his eyes that Keith couldn’t quite place.

The bell above the door jingled and a loud, annoyed voice called out an obnoxious, “oh my GOD! They’re fucking everywhere!”

Keith glanced around Lotor to see a greasy, middle aged man in an ill fitting suit, standing just inside the cafe and glaring venom at the purple alien. He sigh and prayed to nothing that the situation wouldn’t escalate. He needed this job too much to lose control and actually punch a customer, like he too often fantasized about.

“These things have too much freedom, walking around like they own the planet,” the man spat, “they really ought to be kept away from people. Maybe throw ‘em in a zoo for everyone’s sake.”

Keith sucked in a shocked breath, fists clenching involuntarily, his vision swimming red. His whole body tensed, ready to leap across the counter, but a hand landed on his shoulder and he looked up at Lotor, still breathing rapidly.

“It’s okay, Keith,” he said, his voice low.

Keith shook his head, his shaggy black hair flopping in his face. “No it’s not.” 

Lotor smiled gently. “While I appreciate you, this man really isn’t worth the trouble. And I’ve dealt with worse than a few insults.”

“Are you gonna get out of my way or what?” The man tapped his foot impatiently. 

Lotor gave what was meant to be a reassuring smile to Keith before stepping to the side and graciously waving his hand for the man to proceed.

“Finally. Give me a skim mocha.” 

“Absolutely, right away, sir.” Keith said through gritted teeth. Acxa silently began making the drink, her shoulders hunched as if trying to make herself as small as possible. That alone sent another spike of rage surging through Keith and he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, struggling to calm himself. He was a rubber band stretched too far, and no amount of deep breathing seemed to be enough to loosen even a little.

Acxa placed the drink on the counter before immediately turning to find something to clean, and the man took it with a sneer. He opened his mouth to say something else, but then he eyed Keith’s glower and opted instead to scoff and leave the cafe without another word.

“Damn, I almost wish he’d said something else,” Keith growled. “I was about two seconds away from throwing that mocha at him.”

“You really need to keep your temper under control.” Acxa told him with a shake of her blue head. 

Lotor laughed. “I almost wish I could’ve seen him without the shackles of customer service. I’m sure that would’ve been a sight.”

Right, because that’s all he was. A ridiculous spectacle, something to laugh at, just a bit of entertainment. That’s all.

Lotor must have seen something on his face, because his smile gentled. “I mean no insult, merely that watching your reaction is like watching a firecracker, and that that poor excuse of a person did deserve to get burned by you.”

“Shut up.” Keith grumbled, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

Lotor’s smile widened.

* * *

Keith was still angry by the time he got home, though he was much, much calmer. Even better, Lance was already home, and lounging on the couch. His work must have gotten done early.

“Hey, babe.” Keith said, sinking down next to him.

Lance glanced at him. “Hey.”

“Are you hungry? Because Lotor invited us over for dinner…” he started, trailing off when Lance fixed him with a wide eyed look.

“You’ve been talking to Lotor? After I told you I didn’t like him?” His voice was high pitched and incredulous and had Keith flinching.

“He’s our neighbor, babe. Little bit hard to avoid him without seeming rude.” Keith retorted defensively, crossing his arms, brow furrowing.

Lance threw his hands up. “No. No, you don’t get to do that. You don’t get to go talking to any aliens, and especially not that one. Especially not behind my back.”

“Behind your back? You’re never around, Lance! You turn your back on me and then accuse me of going behind it? I can’t exactly talk to you when you won’t even spare me five minutes of your day!” His voice rose, months, no, years of frustration bubbling inside of him. 

“I have no fucking clue what you’re talking about. We’re always together. We live together, for god’s sake.”

Keith lurched to his feet, letting out a wordless cry of irritation. “You know what you’re doing! I  _ know _ you do!” He grabbed his dark hair, yanking hard enough to feel the sting, but not hard enough to pull it out. “What happened to perfect us living our perfect lives? What happened, huh? We were in love!”

“Were?”

“Yeah, were.” Hands dropping to his side, he glared at the ground, trying to keep the tears at bay. “You are not the Lance I knew. I don’t even get to wake up in your arms anymore. I don’t even get to talk to you.”

“Well, why don’t go cry to Lotor about it.” Lance suggested with a sneer.

A jolt of pain lashed Keith’s heart. “Maybe I will.” He turned and walked mechanically to the door, grabbing the handle, only for a hand to wrap around his elbow and pull him back.

“Wait, Keith, baby, wait,” Lance spun him around to face him, but Keith stared stubbornly at the ground. “Don’t go. Please.” Backing him against the wall, he drew his lips along his jaw, pushing a leg between his thighs. “Stay.”

Stay? For what? Lance’s mouth drifted to his neck, and tears welled in Keith’s eyes. Stay to be used and then ignored? Was that really all there was for him?

“No.” Planting his hands on Lance’s chest, he shoved him away, no longer trying to hide the sadness that stained his face. “No. I can’t do this anymore.”

He turned again, and Lance latched onto him again, grip much firmer this time. “You think you can leave? There’s nothing out there for you! You have to stay with me!”

“Let go of me.”

“Why? No one will love you like I do!” And he yanked, pulling Keith away from the door, trying to trap him once again.

Keith tore himself from his grasp, a sob filling his lungs, taking away his breath. This time, he ran, flinging open the door, not thinking, but allowing his legs to take him to the only place they could.

When Lotor opened his door to frantic knocks, Keith fell into his arms and sobbed.   
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What? Me? Updating something for once? It’s more likely than u think ;)
> 
> Find me on other sites:  
> tumblr: @glitch-h  
> twitter: @lotorotor  
> insta: @caramelmacchiatoart


	5. Cold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At this point, Keith is pretty sure “alone” is just how he’s meant to end up

“What happened to you?” Lotor asked, voice low and filled with concern. He tightened his arms around Keith, who had tears streaming down his face and shuffled them both into the living room, somehow managing to close and lock the door behind him. He arranged them both on the couch so that Keith was curled into his side, his dark hair sticking to his wet face.

Keith couldn’t answer, only shook his head, chest heaving in silent sobs.

“Did Lance do something?”

He stiffened, then nodded, and Lotor sucked in an angry breath. 

“Whatever he did to you, I will make him pay,” and then he tilted his purple head as though realizing something, “I’m going to have to cancel tonight’s plans.”

At that, Keith shook his head a bit frantically, heaving in a deep breath, and speaking in a thick, tear stained voice. “No! No, I’m sorry. I’ll go, I didn’t mean to ruin tonight. I’m sorry, don’t cancel anything.”

Lotor sighed and squeezed him tight for a quick moment. “You didn’t ruin anything, Keith. But I won’t cancel if it’ll make you feel better; merely reschedule. I’ll be back in a moment.” And he left, presumably to make some calls, and Keith was left cold and alone on the couch, curled in on himself. 

Alone. He was always alone, wasn’t he? Lance hadn’t been with him in a long time, not really. He’d always felt so far away, even when they were physically as close as two people could be. He woke up alone, he came home alone, he slept alone. A hole in his chest gaped wide, and he suspected that it had been carving itself out for longer than he’d realized, and consumed him.

All at once, two warm arms wrapped around him again and pulled him close to a large warm body. “Keith, Keith, it’s okay, I’m here.” Warm words washed over his ears and he felt tension leech from his limbs. The hole shrank until he no longer felt like he was drowning and the tears slowed, but didn’t stop.

“I’m sorry, Lotor,” he mumbled, “I don’t know why I came here. I shouldn’t have.”

“Nonsense. I’m glad you came to me. I’m glad you’re here.” Clawed fingers began to card through Keith’s hair, gently scratching at his scalp. “Now, if you want to talk, you can talk. You don’t have to. I will do anything to help you.”

He sighed, relaxing further, sinking into the embrace. “Things just sort of exploded.”

“Oh?” The stroking hand never stopped, though Keith felt Lotor tense slightly.

Bit by bit, piece by piece, Keith told Lotor about his fight with Lance. About how he’d been feeling alone and unloved for a long time now. How he felt like Lance only wanted to use him, that he only paid attention to him when it was convenient. And Lotor held him through every word.

“I’m so sorry, Keith,” he whispered when his words ceased. His arms tightened, and Keith wondered when the last he’d been held was. He couldn’t remember.

A sharp knock rebounded off the door and Keith tensed.

“Keith! I know you’re in there!” Lance called through the door, knocking again. “Please, baby, I just want to talk.”

Looking up at Lotor through his messy bangs, Keith gnawed on his lip.

“You don’t have to talk to him if you don’t have to.”

“No, it’s okay,” he didn’t particularly want to see Lance right now, but maybe he was overreacting. Maybe it would be okay. He extracted himself from Lotor’s embrace and cracked the door open. Lance was on the step, his face blank, arms crossed in front of his chest.

“So,” he began, his blue eyes impassive, “I feel like we both said some things we didn’t really mean.”

Keith raised his eyebrows but didn’t say anything, waiting for him to continue.

“Look, maybe you feel like I’ve been a bit distant, but you know my job is stressful. And it’s no excuse to go running off to some other guy.”

A beat of silence passed and Keith let out a breath. “Is that all you wanted to say?”

“No, I just… please. Come home, baby. Just stop the theatrics. I don’t want to lose you,” Lance held out a pleading hand.

Keith stared at the offering, gnawing on the inside of his cheek. It would be so easy to just take it and forget any of this had happened… start over… and maybe they could fix things. Maybe things could be good again.

A hand landed on Keith’s shoulder and he looked up to see Lotor, his yellow eyes tense. “Lance. I’m afraid there’s a bit of a problem.”

“Yeah? What’s your ‘problem’, L’Oréal?” Lance narrowed his eyes.

“Well, it’s just that I’ve come to care for Keith quite a bit. And you’ve really hurt him. And you seem to think that that’s an acceptable apology,” Lotor’s voice was firm, a tremor to it that Keith had never heard before. 

Lance scoffed. “I’m not in the mood to have you preach to me. Now please leave my boyfriend alone so we can go home.”

The hand on Keith’s shoulder tightened, and he looked into Lance’s eyes, the intense blue that he had once fallen in love with. Memories of the beginning ran through his head, propped up next to much more recent images, where he was alone, where Lance turned his back again, and again, and again. The difference was stark and Keith wondered when the turn around had been. When had Lance turned so cold?

It didn’t matter.

“I’m not your boyfriend anymore,” he said. 

“What was that?” Lance leaned forward, anger clouding his face. “You think that’s your decision? You are mine. You’ll never find anyone else like me, anyway. So stop these games and let’s go.”

Keith sucked in a breath, leaning away and into Lotor. “No.”

Lance’s face darkened. His glare shifted to Lotor and his lip curled into a snarl. “You. You stole my boyfriend. What did you say to him? Everything was fine until you showed up! What did you fucking say to him?”

“I didn’t say anything and I didn’t steal him. Keith is not an object that can be stolen and he is not a prize to be won. You drove him away. That’s it.” Keith wondered how Lotor could sound so calm when his own heart was racing like a spooked horse. All he wanted in that moment was to crawl away into a corner and curl in on himself, hopefully disappearing for a little bit.

“You think you can barge in and take what’s mine and then preach to me like you have some moral high ground? How dare you, you-”

“I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to leave, Lance,” Lotor interrupted firmly. “You’ve done enough. Goodbye.”

Lance’s voice rose in pitch and volume, but he barely got a word out before Lotor had the door closed and locked. His hand dropped from Keith’s shoulder, who merely stood and stared at the wood grain in front of him.

“Keith?” Lotor said gently, softly. “Are you alright?”

Keith sucked in a breath but didn’t answer, his mind reduced to static. He stared.

“You’re trembling.”

“He didn’t love me, did he?” Keith whispered. His eyes welled with tears and a single drop trickled down his cheek.

“Regardless of whether or not it was love doesn’t matter. It wasn’t healthy. He’s in no position to have any sort of serious relationship right now.” Lotor tugged gently on Keith’s elbow, steering him back towards the couch. “Sit, please. You’re welcome to stay here as long as you wish.”

They arranged themselves on the couch, Lotor sitting half a foot from Keith. Looking up at his savior with glistening eyes, Keith felt himself crumbling. He’d been with Lance for so much of his life and for it to end so abruptly… he didn’t know how to conduct himself. He’d never broken up with anyone before.

Lotor’s golden eyes were swimming with concern. “Would you like to eat something? Perhaps you need water?”

Heaving a shaky breath, Keith shook his head. “I think… I think I should just sleep. For now.”

“Then I will get you a blanket and let you be,” Lotor said gently, making to get up. Keith’s hand shot out, gripping Lotor’s wrist like a vice. The latter looked back, surprised. “What is it?”

“I…” Keith looked down, slowly letting go of him, swallowing his chagrine. “Nothing.”

Lotor sighed. “Tell me what you want and I’ll do it. There’s no ‘nothing’, not after what happened tonight.”

Keith gnawed on his inner cheek. “It’s okay. Go to bed. It’s okay.”

“Keith,” Lotor’s voice was a touch of silk, soft and smooth and beautiful. “Would you prefer I stayed with you?”

He shrugged, silent. He’d been alone for so long, what was one more night? 

“Allow me to get you a blanket, and then I will stay by your side tonight. I promise.”

“Okay,” Keith replied. Still, when Lotor got up, it took all of his strength not to stop him again. And he braced himself for another cold and lonely night.

Five minutes had not passed before Lotor was bag and draping a large, fluffy blanket around Keith’s shoulders and settling on the couch beside him once more. 

“Thank you,” Keith whispered, his hunched shoulders releasing a bit of tension.

Lotor hummed. “I would do anything for you.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so there’s a song I’ve been listening to that really feels like one aspect of how Keith feels about Lance buuuuut I can’t currently remember what it is so... if I find it again I’ll edit this 
> 
> I was listening to You Belong With Me while finishing this up but like the For All Those Sleeping cover bc I’m a man of taste... and that’s Lotor’s perspective in a nutshell but less “she wears short skirts I wear t shirts” and more “he’s a jackass I actually care about you” but the sentiment is there
> 
> Find me on other sites:
> 
> tumblr: @glitch-h  
> twitter: @ramone_me  
> insta: @caramelmacchiatoart


End file.
